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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22463065">Steps</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Candasaurus/pseuds/Candasaurus'>Candasaurus</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Monster in My Closet [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Kingdom Hearts</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Hurt/Comfort, mild body horror, trust building</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-01-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-01-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 06:08:30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,220</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22463065</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Candasaurus/pseuds/Candasaurus</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>This was a whole new level of trust that Kairi hadn’t completely prepared for.</p><p>Vanitas had all but collapsed on her lap after dragging himself through a dark portal. Merely murmuring, pain evident in his voice. She had asked him if he needed help. All she got was a single grunt, and what she took as a very weak nod, the sharp edges of his mask scraping her thigh</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Kairi/Vanitas (Kingdom Hearts), Vanikai</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Monster in My Closet [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1616254</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>61</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Steps</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I honestly don't know what to title this.<br/>MEH<br/>I don't know what I'm doing with this, so it's going here for now.</p><p>I am still working on outlining the main Monster in My Closet fic.<br/>Is this an excerpt?<br/>I it something that just.. happened because? Who knoooows.</p><p>(also let me know if this needs any archive warnings, I'm still unsure. *shrug*)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>This was a whole new level of trust that Kairi hadn’t completely prepared for.</p><p>Vanitas had all but collapsed on her lap after dragging himself through a dark portal. Merely murmuring, pain evident in his voice. She had asked him if he needed help. All she got was a single grunt, and what she took as a very weak nod, the sharp edges of his mask scraping her thigh.</p><p>Grabbing some supplies she had on hand, she situated him to lay on his chest, where he seemed to favor his right side. Bowl of water she mixed with an elixir, clean cloth, and all the nerves she could muster. She had a feeling her magic wasn't the right route for him.  </p><p>“Okay… um… “ his suit. What was she supposed to do about this damned suit?! But movement caught her eye, and answered her unspoken question. </p><p>She watched in fascination as his suit dematerialized before her eyes. Wisps of darkness crawling down his neck and back, revealing the skin beneath. She didn't know what she expected.  Not perfectly clean, clear, and unmarred. But this was near horrific. </p><p>Scars, deep and raised alike, lined his back, arms and chest. Crisscrossing every which way, in every size. From what looked like the smallest of claw marks, to that of what was very obviously inflicted by a Keyblade's teeth. His forearms told a story all their own. Marks told years of abuse, from just a skin tone lighter, to the fresh, red and swollen welts.</p><p>Dizzy, she finally breathed. Tenderly, she wrung the cloth soaked in elixir, a gulp, loud in her ears, "I'm going to touch you now…" and tentatively placed her fingertips to his back. </p><p>His shoulders tensed, hitch in his breath. Kairi's heart ached at the notion, and the implications behind it. Stilling until his shoulders slowly relaxed and dropped back down. As cautiously, and careful as possible, brought the rag down. </p><p>He held still, save for his measured breaths. Wishing she could see his face for any indication of putting too much pressure, but still he hides behind his mask, burrowed within the crook of his neck. </p><p>Silence surrounded them as she worked, aside from the mild panic in her breathing and quiet cursing when she disturbed a closed wound, and it bled profusely. She was going to have to figure out how to get the stains off the carpet later. But the elixir was working, she could see the skin repairing itself before her eyes.</p><p>‘He should drink some too…’</p><p>Laying the length of the cloth along the worst of his wounds to soak up the remedy, she leaned in so she wouldn’t have to raise her voice higher than a whisper. “Vanitas?” Her hand gentle on his shoulder.</p><p>A soft intake of breath, he turned his head over. “Hm?” A smile wormed itself on her face. He had fallen asleep.</p><p>“You should drink some of this. It’ll help. Can you open your helmet?”</p><p>“Mm…” a pause. “I can’t…” </p><p>His slurred voice was barring on amusing, but she tried to keep herself from chuckling. “May I remove it? Please?”  </p><p> </p><p>“ ‘Kay.” </p><p>This time she couldn’t hold it in. He must have been so tired to answer so nonchalantly. But she wasn’t about to let him wake up more to change his mind. She needed to get this in him so he’d heal faster. </p><p>Shuffling around his body to sit at his head, she eyeballed the sharp ridges of the helmet. This was going to be more difficult than she thought, if the sting of the scratch on her leg was anything to go by. Her fingers traced the back of his head, to the rim where helmet met skin, the heat from his neck intense a jarring. Carefully, she tucked her fingers in, using her other hand on the viser to steady her grip. </p><p>“I’m going to take it off now.”</p><p>No answer this time, but she proceeded. The moment her fingers made contact with hair, the realization of seeing his full face hit her. A jaw, his ears, the nape of his neck, his chin, exposed. Her heart pounded as her imagination decided to take a detour. </p><p>More hair revealed itself as she pulled it over his head. Though covered in sweat, she could tell it was pretty soft. The resistance of his head gave when it was finally free, setting the now evidently, very heavy gear aside. He’ll probably gripe about the fingerprints later.</p><p>Grabbing a new bottle of elixir, she was so glad Riku stockpiled her even when she thought it was unnecessary at the time, popping the cap. “Ok, I need you to face me a bit more, this isn’t an ideal drinking position.”</p><p>Vanitas’ groan sounded more tired than painful by then, he made the effort to lay more on one side, the cloth surprisingly staying put, and tilted his head up, where she ended up assisting in holding it up. </p><p>Focusing on her task, instructing him to open up so she could pour it down. It was slow, almost like he forgot he was supposed to swallow, letting his mouth fill, gulp, repeat. He was much better at taking elixirs than she was. The taste was absolutely horrid.</p><p>Bottle empty, the clink of the lid letting him know it was over. His lips quirked and wriggled. “Gross.”</p><p>“Very” she half laughed. </p><p>Before she could pull herself away to give him room, he scooted himself up closer to her, dragging his body those last few inches, and laid himself on her lap, one arm wrapped around her legs, hand resting on her ankle. She could feel his heartbeat on her knees. </p><p>Sighing contentedly, he finally looked up at her, eyes blurry with numbing pain and sleep. Letting her really look at him. </p><p>Kairi’s hands were always fiddling with something, always needing to keep busy, so they went straight for combing his hair. Brushing it out of his eyes, his sweaty brow burning with mild fever, tucking behind his, now observantly, pointed ears. </p><p>Tracing down his jaw, imprints of where his helmet rested grooved in. High cheekbones flushed with a pink, and wonderful, if very light, dusting of freckles lined his nose. Resisting the urge to follow his cleft to his lips.</p><p>Fingers untangling the lengths of his hair. It was longer than she expected. He let her brush along his scalp, down to the ends. Blinking slowly until his eyes just couldn’t stay open, and he nodded off for the second time. </p><p>Her head was swimming with questions, and emotions. But she knew he’d tell her when he was ready, if ever. Or, maybe he was just waiting for her to ask. She didn’t know, she just knew that through the last few weeks, something has changed between them. </p><p>But it felt good. It felt right. Like something was slotting into place after trying to fit the pieces together incorrectly. </p><p>Whatever happened earlier, it was enough for him to reach out to her. Her. The “Little miss goody good Princess.” Tonight was a hundred steps closer to knowing him to the typical one step forward, three steps back. And they didn’t even exchange words. </p><p>Her legs were falling asleep, but that was ok. This was worth it. Watching him sleep soundly, under her care, safe.</p>
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